It’s the 2017 NFL Draft and the Falcons braintrust is hunkered down here at the team facilities. The Falcons currently hold the 31st pick in the draft, but are looking to move up to get one of the “handful” of players they have targetted.We’ll be posting updates here throughout the evening and night about what’s happening at here and at the draft in Philadelphia. Please check back often.Who will the Falcons select with their pick in the first round of the NFL draft? Will they even use their pick — or trade it to someone else?When: Today through Saturday. Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art at Eakins Oval, Philadelphia. TV: NFL Network, ESPN, ESPN2 (Friday only).First round: Begins Thursday at 8 p.m., Falcons own 31st pick in the round.
11:07 p.m.
Falcons make trade with Seattle to move up to 26th pick. They gave up a third and seventh. Seems like a lot for five spots. Takkarist McKinley.
10:59 p.m.
Browns select safety Jabrill Peppers the multi-purpose star from Michigan.
10:49 p.m.
New York Giants selected Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram, who played at Hillgrove High for my man Coach Phil Ironside.
10:42
Charles Harris and Jarrad Davis are gone. The Falcons wanted them both. Now, they might trade back. Jordan Willis looks good for them now.
10:39 p.m.
List of players the Falcons have worked who they could be considering at 31:
Budda Baker, S, Washington (PRI)
Tarell Basham^, DE, Ohio (PRI, WOR)
Charles Harris, DE/3-4OLB/OLB, Missouri (WOR)
Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE/3-4DE, Villanova (WOR)
Forrest Lamp^, G, Western Kentucky (SR, COM, WOR)
Takkarist McKinley, OLB/DE/3-4OLB, UCLA (PRI)
Jordan Willis, DE/3-4OLB/OLB, Kansas State (WOR)
10:35 p.m.
Denver selected Utah tackle Garett Bolles.
10:29 p.m.
Tampa Bay’s O.J. Howard had 45 catches for 595 yards and five touchdowns. The Falcons have to defend wide receivers Desean Jackson and Michael Evans and TE Howard.
10:27 p.m.
10:24 p.m.
Two players still on board that Jeff Schultz thinks the Falcons like: Charles Harris, Jordan Willis, maybe also Taco Charlton and TJ Watt.
10:24 p.m.
Two players still on board that Jeff Schultz thinks the Falcons like: Charles Harris, Jordan Willis, maybe also Taco Charlton and TJ Watt.
2 replies 1 retweet 2 likes
10:22 p.m.
Six straight players on defense taken before Tampa Bay selected tight end O.J. Howard.
9:54 p.m.
Eagles selected Tennesee defensive end Derek Barnett. He had 33 sacks over 39 game career for the Volunteers.
9:41 p.m.
“I love this guy,” Kurt Warner said of Deshaun Watson on NFL Network. He likes that Watson is going to a playoff game. He can lean on his team mates while learning the pro position.
9:36
The Houston Texans select quarterback Deshaun Watson with the 12th overall. Gainesville High product. He’s the third quarterback taken. All of the teams traded up to get their quarterbacks. He’s reunited with Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
9:34 p.m.
Cleveland has traded out of the 12th pick. Houston has moved up.
9:28 p.m.
The Saints select Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore. They got the top cornerback in the draft.
9:27
Saints are on the clock. They average 29 points last season, but loss 9 games. Their pass defense is awful.
9:24
This run on offensive players is helping the Falcons. McCaffrey, Mahomes, Davis and Williams were not certain top 10 picks. The Falcons may not have to trade up to get their defensive player. Also, word out here in Flowery Branch is that they are not drafting a guard (Forrest Lamp) in the first round.
9:20
Everyone is tweeting that the Chiefs have moved up to take Pat Mahomes. Lets see.
9:18
Update on the picks
9:16 p.m.
Had to file my story for print. Back on the case here. K.C. has just made a big deal to move up 17 spots.
8:43
Tennessee selects Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis. Tennesee offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie must like him a lot.
8:35
Jags select LSU running back Leonard Fournette.
8:31
San Francisco selects Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas with the third overall pick. Jacksonville is on the clock.
8:22
Bears selected quarterback Mitchell Trubisky from North Carolina. Falcons open the season at Chicago.
8:17
San Francisco trade their pick. Bears on the move.
8:14
Browns select Myles Garrett, DE, Texas Tech. (One for one on the Mock Draft!)
8:12
The Browns are on the clock.
7:50
We are about 10 minutes away from the start of the draft. The Browns will be on the clock.
6:55
Dimitroff on FOX 5 with Ken Rodriquez talking about the draft:
“Dan and I talked a lot about what our expectations were going into this year. Mr. Blank didn’t come out and say exactly how many he needed to start. But that’s always a good thing. We are behind him and he’s behind us as an organization. We know that we need to continue to produce football players that are going to make us a difference-making football team. I think we are in a good spot.
“I think since 2008 we’ve had 19 trades in the draft. We’ve been active and busy. We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it. I want everyone to know that this is never flipping. We’ve spent a lot of good time talking about how we are going to approach it. There are opportunities. There are a number of people that have called us and I’ve called them. It could be five. That could be 10. Who knows?
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